Old Saint Paul's eBook

Thames, consuming everything in its way, and rendering
the very pavements red-hot. Every stone, spout,
and gutter in the sacred pile, of which there were
some hundreds, added to this fatal shower, and scattered
destruction far and wide; nor will this be wondered
at when it is considered that the quantity of lead
thus melted covered a space of no less than six acres.
Having burned with incredible fury and fierceness
for some time, the whole roof of the sacred structure
fell in at once, and with a crash heard at an amazing
distance. After an instant’s pause, the
flames burst forth from every window in the fabric,
producing such an intensity of heat, that the stone
pinnacles, transom beams, and mullions split and cracked
with a sound like volleys of artillery, shivering
and flying in every direction. The whole interior
of the pile was now one vast sheet of flame, which
soared upwards, and consumed even the very stones.
Not a vestige of the reverend structure was left untouched—­its
bells—­its plate—­its woodwork—­its
monuments—­its mighty pillars—­its
galleries—­its chapels—­all, all
were destroyed. The fire raged throughout all
that night and the next day, till it had consumed all
but the mere shell, and rendered the venerable cathedral—­“one
of the most ancient pieces of piety in the Christian
world”—­to use the words of Evelyn,
a heap of ruin and ashes.

VIII.

HOW LEONARD RESCUED THE LADY ISABELLA.

The course of events having been somewhat anticipated
in the last chapter, it will now be necessary to return
to an earlier stage in the destruction of the cathedral,
namely, soon after the furious bursting forth of the
flames from the great eastern windows. While Leonard,
in common with the rest of the assemblage, was gazing
at this magnificent spectacle, he heard a loud cry
of distress behind him, and turning at the sound,
beheld Doctor Hodges rush forth from an adjoining house,
the upper part of which was on fire, almost in a state
of distraction. An elderly man and woman, and
two or three female servants, all of whom were crying
as loud as himself, followed him. But their screams
fell on indifferent ears, for the crowd had become
by this time too much accustomed to such appeals to
pay any particular attention to them. Leonard,
however, instantly rushed towards the doctor, and anxiously
inquired what was the matter; the latter was so bewildered
that he did not recognise the voice of the speaker,
but gazing up at the house with an indescribable anguish,
cried, “Merciful God! the flames have by this
time reached her room—­she will be burned—­horror!”

“Who will be burned?” cried Leonard, seizing
his arm, and gazing at him with a look of apprehension
and anguish equal to his own—­“Not
the Lady Isabella?”

“Yes, Isabella,” replied Hodges, regarding
the speaker, and for the first time perceiving by
whom he was addressed. “Not a moment is
to be lost if you would save her from a terrible death.
She was left in a fainting state in one of the upper
rooms by a female attendant, who deserted her mistress
to save herself. The staircase is on fire, or
I myself would have saved her.”